Another Anti-American ACLU Victory: Students Not Required to Recite ‘Pledge’
Newsmax reports: “A federal judge ruled Thursday that it is unconstitutional to require a student to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.”
Judge Kenneth Ryskamp also ruled that a student does not have to get a parent’s permission to be excused from reciting the pledge.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued the state Board of Education and state Education Commissioner John Winn on behalf of a Boynton Beach High School student who said he was disciplined for not standing during the pledge last year.
Cameron Frazier, then a 17-year-old junior, was told by teacher Cynthia Alexandre that he was “so ungrateful and so un-American” after he twice refused to stand for the pledge in her classroom Nov. 8, the lawsuit said.
Requiring Frazier to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance is “in violation of his First and Fourth Amendment rights,” the lawsuit said. [Read the full story]
And why, pray tell (can’t do that either), does he have these rights? Because of our Constitution? And why do we have that? (we know kids don’t learn much these days) Answer: Because patriots fought and died to establish our nation’s democracy. Thusly, as proud Americans, e pluribus unum, we pledge our allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.*
In this case, the school teacher is, obviously, of top quality as she correctly advised the student on the errors of his ways. Leave it to the ACLU to step in and reinforce the notion that there is no responsibility for good citizenship.
And speaking of, what’s next? Following the next illogical step, will the ACLU file another lawsuit on behalf of new (legal) immigrants being sworn into American citizenship, arguing that they, too, should not be “required” to recite the Pledge?
Instead, perhaps they’ll just cut right to the chase, by reading a list of demands covering all the major benefits, entitlements and special interests (collectively referred to as “rights” by liberal activists) due immediately, and without pledging themselves to our nation’s stewardship.
Who’s being sarcastic? Ain’t our fault that this news has Scott Ott written all over it.
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KeepThePledge.com
Left Wing Pledge Of Allegiance?
New Pledge of Allegiance…Sad but True?
Technorati Tags: ACLU, Pledge of Allegiance, Patriotism, Education, Citizenship
June 3rd, 2006 at 8:34 am
So you prefer to force someone to stand up and show respect for something they don’t respect?
I thought conservatives wanted government to “leave people alone”
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:27 am
I’m torn on the issue. It bothers me that the student didn’t voluntarily stand to recite it. However, I think that it is within his rights to do so.
Unfortunately, our great constitution protects people who want to act like disrespectful idiots.
Now, was it prudent to file a lawsuit? Of course not.
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:45 am
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:13 am
So, then, Chris, on this precendent, you’d also argue that new citizens shouldn’t be sworn in with the required Pledge?
God help us.
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:11 pm
God cannot help us Cal, ACLU is against that as well. Well, I guess if we chose Pele from Hawaii - shoot, can’t do that either, we ran rough-shod over the Hawaiians too. OK, choose one carefully though. The one you choose can affect your future - maybe Gaea, she’s a safe bet …
The Pledge of Allegiance is just that, a pledge. If one chooses to only pledge when THEIR own selfish needs are being met, or when THEIR favorite politician runs the show, well, that’s just selfish and childish. And, I guess that truly makes us a “representative” republic.
I said the Pledge of Allegiance when Carter was in power. I said the Pledge of Allegiance when Clinton was in power. The pledge was not to _THEM_ but to the flag, our standard, and those that sacrificed their lives for her to continue to fly free.
And when those lives were taken, so many years ago, in wars that it seems are OK to some ‘bats’ (War of Independence, Civil War, WWI, WWII), it’s OK to support military action. But today, the “cool thing to do” is not say the pledge ’cause that supports Bush.
Ugh.
Oh, and once the words “under God” were added, that’s when the rift began; the fur still flies - oops, I said fur. PETA has blog-scrapers, I’m doomed! ;)
Sheesh, the pledge is harmless. Now, subscribing to the complete dismantling of the last FREE country is what is at stake. And, that is a pledge, if one truly subscribes to these acts.
I pledged more than 20 years ago to fight. I pledged to risk my life. I pledged to keep Old Glory safe and to never falter. I treat her with respect - and it is the flag, not the man.
What’s the “anti-pledge” point? Oh, that’s right, the right to thumb one’s nose at those that have fallen under REPUBLICAN administrations. Well, folks, truly review your history. The “worst war ever” was started by everyone’s favorite Democrat, and driven into the ground by his follow-on.
But, it was Nixon?!
Alas, poor moonbat, you know not.
June 3rd, 2006 at 3:16 pm
“So, then, Chris, on this precendent, you’d also argue that new citizens shouldn’t be sworn in with the required Pledge?”
Wow, that was quite a twist of logic. No, I don’t agree with your statement. I think that requiring non-citizens to say the pledge in order to become citizens is different because they are (wait for it) not citizens who are trying to become citizens. It’s also legal, as the Constitution gives Congress the right to regulate naturalization. Art. 1, Sec. 8, Cl. 4.
You didn’t respond to my question about Conservative values. Don’t you find it disturbing to think of a government (with all its flaws) forcing someone to show respect for something they don’t respect? The person’s belief might be stupid or even offensive, but do you really think it’s best for government to force respect?
June 3rd, 2006 at 3:23 pm
By the way, I’m not a liberal nut. I’m a moderate and I’m really asking for an honest answer.
As your quote section just told me:
“An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.”
– Thomas Jefferson
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:02 pm
Fix4RSO - The Last Free Country? Is that what their teaching you these days, or did you come up with that one yourself? Read up on countries like Switzerland (constant referendum and full transparency) and the Netherlands (giving citizens rights to achive full personal happiness regardless of majoritarian morals). — Don’t decive yourself into beliving your own jibberish.
And Chris Bell I agree with you, forcing a person to stand up to the flag and respect it is by no means democratic.
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Wow, that was quite a twist of logic. No, I don’t agree with your statement. I think that requiring non-citizens to say the pledge in order to become citizens is different because they are (wait for it) not citizens who are trying to become citizens.
Twist of logic? Let’s review: in order to become a citizen, as you concur, they’ll say the Pledge. However, immediately upon being granted said citizenship, they’ll never be required to repeat it again. And neither will their kids. God bless America!
Chris, we value your comments and never labeled you as a “liberal nut.” But certain traditions and principles should be promoted for the integrity and unity of our nation, would you not agree? A nation that loses its heritage ceases to be, and that’s a moderate view. We also think Fix4RSO had some good comments on the matter.
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:18 pm
“certain traditions and principles should be promoted for the integrity and unity of our nation, would you not agree? A nation that loses its heritage ceases to be, and that’s a moderate view.”
I agree.
I also think that this kid is ungrateful. I think we should have the pledge. I stand when people say the pledge. I also take off my hat.
I don’t have a problem with “promoting” the pledge, but I’m asking about requiring people to say the pledge.
Me and CC: Hey, you should stand and say the pledge.
Bratty Kid: I don’t want to.
Me: Well, that makes you a jerk, but it’s a free country and you can do what you want.
CC: No, you MUST stand and say the pledge.
June 3rd, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Chris, it now appears that we’ve found common ground, and so not all is lost.
As for the proposed dialogue, you’ve mischaracterized something which highlights what may be at the heart of our original misunderstanding.
We aren’t suggesting that we would *force* the kid to say the pledge — and, in the original story, it remains unclear what action the teacher would’ve taken.
Our singular objection is with the ACLU and the litigiousness that they consistently bring to our schools, whether it be prayer, the Pledge, or modern perversities. We fully concur with the notion that it’s a free country. However, the classroom should not be a place to litigate, but an place for young minds to learn and investigate. Keep out the politics. And that’s what the ACLU is about.
Finally, we would also admit to using stronger language than “jerk” if we were put into those circumstances. :)
Thanks for the interaction.
June 3rd, 2006 at 9:11 pm
So, Mo, you’ve lived in Switzerland, eh? Or, no, maybe you’ve lived in the Netherlands?
That’s very nice that you have been able to live within those systems and it has provided you more insight than mine.
I however am the beneficiary of being first generation American (no hyphen, I’m just an American). And, I have also lived around this great country as well as in Europe (Germany and visited the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, France, the UK, Tahiti, and Berlin [before the wall fell - sorry - torn down by Reagan!]).
I’m just a God lovin’, flag wavin’, dolt from America. I’ve got no culture and cannot see beyond the wonderful _RED WHITE AND BLUE_.
Point takin’, Mo, I gotta get out more and stop believing that we have the best country in the world. A place where you can fake an injury, get a lawyer, and destroy a company ’cause I hate the fact they are keepin’ me down …
(i am being a bit, flip, here, just for fun)
Yet, in the end, humor aside, you just cannot fault this country. Unless, however, you would rather us be more European. If so, sorry, I’m not on your page, and we can agree to disagree. K … ??? ;)
June 4th, 2006 at 5:05 am
Hah, I wasn’t faulting your country… by all means, to have some democracy is better then no democracy. I was faulting your statement that you were the ‘last free country,’ and offered you multiple European examples of systems that work as well… you can put the rest of the anti-american jabber in my mouth if it suits the point your making even if its a total twist of what I said :)
I haven’t lived in either Switzerland or Netherlands, but I have visited both, and, as a part of my studies, have reasearched both political systems in comparative perspective to others extensivly. I have also done several backpack trips on foot/train to several countries and locations around Europe.
If anything I’ve always ‘lived’ most my life in the Middle East (though for some time in England as well), and have focused on these comparative studies as a way to try to figure out how to most efficently incorporate democracy into our respective cultural paradigms.
June 4th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
When everything is said and done (and the decision of the 9th Circus Court has been thrown out by the SC), what is this about being “unconstitutionally forced” to say the pledge?
The turkey litigator was in a public school. As I understand it he was given a direct order to stand and recite. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t he disobeying a direct order/command from the teacher? Have PS teachers lost all authority now?
If the jerk didn’t want to recite, why was he in a public school?
Couldn’t afford it? Well, neither can a lot of Christian parents who object to the teachings of (im)morality in public schools, but they are forced by the state (and feds) to put up with it in the holy name of “god the diverse”.
What I’m saying is, the kid had a choice, he made a bad choice, his parents want a victim and it fits with the “destroy America” agenda of the ACLU. The kid is a hero in his own mind (and that of Kos, I’m sure), the ACLU gets more public money for destroying its cash cow, and the majority of Americans shake their heads and say “tsk, tsk” while continuing to work to pay for this travesty.
Only in America.
June 4th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
You’re hot today, Carlos. Right on, again.